Skip to content
Select Your College
Search

Looking for a trade school? Browse 19 trades or trade schools by state.

Build my college list

College profile

Virginia State University

Public 4-year · Petersburg, Virginia · 5,074 undergradsHBCUTest-optional

Admission9 in 10 get in89% admitted, fall 2024
Average cost after grants$14,893a year, in-state · sticker $28,338
Graduation rate
37%
finish within 6 years
Earnings 10 years in$49,358median per year · debt $25,000
Report card how grades work
C+Overall value
A-Cost
A-Price for low incomes
C-Graduation
CEarnings

Virginia State University is a public 4-year college in Petersburg, Virginia with 5,074 undergraduates. It admits 89% of applicants, costs an average of $14,893 a year after grants and graduates 37% of its students.

Figures from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, released October 15, 2026. What each number covers.

Virginia State University acceptance rate and admissions

Virginia State University admitted 89% of applicants for fall 2024. The median acceptance rate at 4-year colleges is 77%.

Test scores: Considered but not required (as reported for fall 2024 admission). That means you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Check the admissions office for the current policy.

SAT total
840 to 1070
4001600
ACT composite
14 to 20
136

The colored band is the middle 50% of enrolled students in fall 2024 (reading and writing 440 to 550, math 400 to 520). The tick marks the typical 4-year college. Check how your scores fit.

Virginia State University application deadlines 2026-27

RoundDeadline
Rolling admissionApplications reviewed as they arrive

Application fee through the Common App: free for U.S. applicants. Confirm dates on Virginia State University’s admissions page; see every college on the deadline calendar.

Source: Common App 2026-27 first-year deadlines, fees and requirements grid, updated Sep 25, 2026.

Virginia State University tuition, cost and net price

Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26)$10,418
Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26)$23,404
On-campus housing and food (2025-26)$14,164
Total cost of attendance (2024-25)$28,338
Average net price after grants (2024-25)$14,893

Students who get federal aid pay an average of $14,893 a year after grants and scholarships, $13,445 less than the full cost of attendance. This figure covers in-state students.

What families pay, by income

Average yearly cost after grants for aided first-time students paying in-state tuition, by family income (2024-25):

$0 to $30,000$11,335
$30,001 to $48,000$17,026
$48,001 to $75,000$17,292
$75,001 to $110,000$21,045
Over $110,000$25,432

Your own price depends on your family's full situation. Run Virginia State University's net price calculator for a personal estimate, or make a "what it costs us" card.

Virginia State University graduation rate, earnings and debt

37%
finished within 6 years
69%
came back for year two
75%
get a Pell Grant
  • 37% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years (students who started in 2019).
  • Former students earned a median of $49,358 a year, 10 years after they started (students who received federal aid and were working).
  • Students who completed left with a median of $25,000 in federal student loans.

Earnings compared

Virginia State University$49,358
Virginia median, public 4-year$65,183
U.S. median, public 4-year$59,509

Debt compared

Virginia State University$25,000
Virginia median$20,000
U.S. median$19,500

Median debt is 51% of median earnings 10 years after entry. Many advisers suggest keeping total student debt below one year of expected pay. See the monthly payment.

Virginia State University majors and what graduates earn

Virginia State University awarded bachelor's degrees in 33 fields recently. The best-paid graduates four years out came from mechanical engineering related technologies/technicians ($80,902).

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians$80,902
Management information systems$72,734
Accounting$72,375
Hospitality management$56,476
Marketing$53,709
Biology$53,398
Liberal arts and general studies$50,015
Business administration$49,764
All 33 majors at Virginia State University
MajorGraduates (2023-24)Earnings 1 yr afterEarnings 4 yrs afterMedian debt
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians16n/a$80,902$26,719
Management information systems17$42,318$72,734$26,500
Accounting15$49,746$72,375$22,217
Hospitality management13n/a$56,476n/a
Marketing17$44,050$53,709$23,044
Biology46$34,944$53,398$21,875
Liberal arts and general studies0$46,759$50,015$29,000
Business administration52$37,657$49,764$25,500
Social work20$39,232$49,615$24,869
Agriculture, General25$32,031$48,778$22,750
Criminal justice56$33,288$48,624$25,751
Teacher education by subject47$30,950$48,362$26,000
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies13n/a$46,514n/a
Political science24$44,691$44,002$25,000
Communication45$32,967$40,896$25,000
Sociology21$36,540$40,432$14,000
Psychology71$34,012$37,861$25,138
Interdisciplinary studies, other30n/an/a$26,235
Computer science24n/an/an/a
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians16n/an/a$24,288
History10n/an/an/a
Computer engineering9n/an/an/a
Art and design, general8n/an/an/a
Music7n/an/an/a
English6n/an/an/a
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians5n/an/an/a
Mathematics5n/an/an/a
Manufacturing Engineering3n/an/an/a
Chemistry3n/an/an/a
Business/Managerial Economics3n/an/an/a
Special education2n/an/an/a
Nursing2n/an/an/a
Teacher education by grade level1n/an/an/a

Four-year earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Fields with few graduates have no published earnings.

Graduate programs at Virginia State University

15 graduate programs awarded degrees recently. Largest first.

Show 15 graduate programs
ProgramDegreeGraduates (2023-24)Earnings 1 yr afterMedian debt
Education leadershipDoctoral17n/a$52,359
Education leadershipMaster's16n/an/a
Kinesiology and exercise scienceMaster's16n/an/a
School counseling and student servicesMaster's12$62,660$65,375
Business/Managerial EconomicsMaster's8n/an/a
Computer scienceMaster's7n/an/a
Curriculum and InstructionMaster's5n/an/a
Public relations and advertisingMaster's4n/an/a
MathematicsMaster's4n/an/a
Criminal justiceMaster's3n/an/a
Social workMaster's3n/an/a
BiologyMaster's2n/an/a
Interdisciplinary studies, otherMaster's2n/an/a
PsychologyMaster's2n/an/a
Clinical and counseling psychologyDoctoral2n/an/a

Students and location

  • 5,074 degree-seeking undergraduates (fall 2024)
  • 59% women, 41% men
  • 13 students for every faculty member
  • Setting: large suburb
  • Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
American National UniversityArizona College of Nursing - ChesapeakeArizona College of Nursing-Falls ChurchAverett UniversityBluefield UniversityBon Secours Memorial College of NursingBridgewater CollegeBryant & Stratton College-Virginia BeachCentra CollegeChamberlain University-VirginiaChristopher Newport UniversityECPI UniversityEastern Mennonite UniversityEmory & Henry UniversityFerrum CollegeGalen Health Institutes-RichmondGalen Health Institutes-RoanokeGeorge Mason UniversityGermanna Community CollegeHampden-Sydney CollegeHampton UniversityHollins UniversityJames Madison UniversityLiberty UniversityLongwood UniversityMary Baldwin UniversityMarymount UniversityNorfolk State UniversityNorthern Virginia Community CollegeOld Dominion UniversityPatrick & Henry Community CollegePatrick Henry CollegePaul D Camp Community CollegePiedmont Virginia Community CollegeRadford UniversityRandolph CollegeRandolph-Macon CollegeRegent UniversityRichard Bland CollegeRiverside College of Health SciencesRoanoke CollegeSentara College of Health SciencesShenandoah UniversitySouth University-RichmondSouth University-Virginia BeachSouthern Virginia UniversitySouthside College of Health SciencesStrayer University-VirginiaSweet Briar CollegeTidewater Community CollegeUniversity of LynchburgUniversity of Management and TechnologyUniversity of Mary WashingtonUniversity of RichmondUniversity of Virginia's College at WiseUniversity of Virginia-Main CampusUniversity of the Potomac-VA CampusVirginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Military InstituteVirginia Peninsula Community CollegeVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Union UniversityVirginia University of LynchburgVirginia Wesleyan UniversityWashington University of Science and TechnologyWashington and Lee UniversityWilliam & MaryVirginia State University
Virginia State University 4-year 2-year colleges in Virginia

Campus on OpenStreetMap · Get directions

Frequently asked questions

What is the acceptance rate at Virginia State University?

Virginia State University admitted 89% of applicants for fall 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

How much does Virginia State University cost?

Tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $10,418 for in-state students and $23,404 for out-of-state students. After grants and scholarships, aided students paid an average net price of $14,893 a year in 2024-25.

What SAT score do you need for Virginia State University?

The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 440 to 550 in reading and writing and 400 to 520 in math, and 14 to 20 on the ACT. Scores inside these ranges are typical for admitted students.

Is Virginia State University test-optional?

For fall 2024 admission, Virginia State University reported that test scores were: considered but not required. Policies change, so confirm with the admissions office.

What is the graduation rate at Virginia State University?

37% of first-time, full-time students finished within six years.

How much do Virginia State University graduates make?

Former students who received federal aid earned a median of $49,358 a year 10 years after they started, in 2024 dollars.

Similar colleges

Matched on location, type, selectivity, size, net price and graduation rate.

More: all colleges in Virginia · Virginia State University on the College Scorecard

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, data release of October 15, 2026. What each figure means and the year it covers.

See an outdated number?